Engine-bearing.



No. 858,087. v PATENTED JUNE 25, 1907. W. B. MASON. ENGINE BEARING.

APPLIUATIDK FILED DE .28. 19 3.

O o REHEETB-SHEET 1.

; PATENTED J'UNB25,1907.

w. B. MASON. ENGINE BEARING APPLICATION FILED DEC. 28. 1903.

2 ISHEETS-SHHJT 2.-

" UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

WILLIAM B. MASON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MASON REGULATOR COMPANY, OF SACO, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

ENGINE-BEARING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1907.

Application filed December 28, 1908. Serial No. 186,784.

To all when it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM B. Mason, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bos ton, in the county of Suiifolk, State of Massa-- chusetts, have invented a certain new and useful improvement in Engine-Bearings, of which the following is a specification, refer- .ence being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

in steam engines for automobiles, or for use in other places, wherea small engine oi high power is required, considerable di'fiiculty is found in providing bearings for the same which can be adjusted without expert mechanical knowlodgi, and which when so adjusted will not be affected by jarring. It is necessary that these hearings be simple in arrangement and light and compact in construction. It also desirable that they be easy to lubricate, and require lubrication infrequently; also that they be dust-proof.

My invention has lor its object to provide such bearings and adjustments for the main bearings of an automobile, or other small steam engines. I have also provided the two main bearings with means by which the main bearings are adjustable with relation to each. other lengthwise ol' the shalt without injury to the perfect running of the main shaft. 1 have shown the same in the acumpanying drawings applied. to a sicam engine suitable 'i'or use in automobiles. This engine is of my own spe ial design and con-- structi m, but the form. and construction oi this engine aside from the scribed form no part of my invention, and 1 do not wish to be ll'i .cd to the peculiar con struciion or form oi engine shown herein, as the various forms of bearings and adjust merits a 'iplied thereto n'iay be applied with.

- equal success and convenience to many other forms of engines.

My invcntirm will be l'uily undiu'stoml from the following description, reference be- .ing had to the acmunpnnymg drawings loin-n ing part lu'arei. 'l',mid the novel features are pointed out and clearly deilined in the claims at the close of this specification.

in the druwings,-;Figure l is a front elev ation of the lower part of the engine to whiclfl the improvements constituting my invention are applied, showing the main shaft and the respective parts coi'lnected therewith. The left hand removable casing or cap constitutl l l ing a part of the frame is taken off to show the interior construction more clearly. Fig. 2 is a section through the frame and main bearing of the machine. Fig. 3 isaside elevation, certain parts being. in section for greater elearness. Fig. 4 is a view of the pry tool I use with my improved bearing. Fig. 5

is a perspective view of the locking plate. Fig. 6 is a detail of the right hand side of the main bearings of the machine and shows a .inodification of the construction shown in 5.2, 2- "a Referring to the drawings and more particuiarly' to Figs. 1 and 2, the frame of'the engine, which my invention is shown as com bodying, consists essentially of two side frames 1 and cross-bars 111 and 112 between the two side frames to holdthem rigidly in position. and the pro er distance apart. In practice, I make the mine of a single casting of bronze, but if preferred it may be made of several members bolted or riveted together. The side irames carry the bearing casing 1143 having therein the main bearing sup porting the crank shaft '2 of the engine. These bearings are of pecuilar character and construction.

'lhobearing casing is circular in form and is made of two arts, one of which 1143 is cast integral. wit the side frame 1; the other part or cap is removable and shown in section in Fig. 3 and in elevation in Fig. 1. This removable cap 60 is attached to the frame and to the grooved portion of the casing 1.143 by bolts 61 and 62 which provided with nuts-61]. and 612. Any other convenient or suitable means of attaching the cup may, of course, be used. The lineof division of the casing into two halves '1143 and no is along the vertical line-through the center of the crank shaft 2, to a point 63 and which the removable cap 60 is held in place 's easily accessible.

The casmgs 1143 and 60 are milled out to receive therein a bearing ring 64. This bearing ring consists of a ring of brass or other j suitable material threaded on its interior surface, as shown in Fig. :2, for the reception ofthe ball cups 65 and 66. These ball cups are made of any suitable material and are provided with tlnremls, in order that they inny be screwed into the booming ring 64. The in nor surfaces of the bell cups are grooved for the reception of the balls ('37. By rotating the ball cups c end ('36 in the bearing ring (54., the distance between the bell cups imiy be edusted jwi'tli greet nicety; and ii the two ball cups are both rotated an equal smoimt in the some direction, tl'ieir position. in the bearing ring nolly of the main shaft 2 with equal pro 5:- ion. Surroi'uiding the main shaft 2 and test thereto is a. bell trztckfit), having; in. its outer surface an annular groove correspomling to the contour of the ball. I

If both of the hearings in which the main shaft of the engine runs were similar in eonstruction to the one shown at the left hand side of Fig. 2 end hed ball tracks lured to the main shaft and running in close fitting grooves in the bell tracks and the bell. cups, the adjustment of the hearings would require great skill oi a kind to be acquired only by long wraetice. Any wrong adjustment of such a. hearing results in binding and increased friction, thus defeating the object off 'bsll bearings 'lo avoid this diliiculty, I provide means by which the main sheft is movable lengthwise sli htly as regards the balls of one bearing. 11 Fig. 2 at the right hand side thereof, is shown one way of occomplishing this cheat. Fest to the mein. shaft is a. ball trac 691 provided with a, fiat bottomed groove somewhat greater in width than the diameter of the ball 67 ru11- ning therein. The sides as shown in the 'ing its drawings are substantially vertical, but it is evident that they may be made curved or of any other convenient form, so long as the bottom of the groove is flat. By this device,- the b'ell is ermitted to take the necessary position wit reference to the track by chzingposition in the flat bottom groove of the hall track. s In Fig. 6 I have shown another form. of the device embodying my im-ention. In the sleeve 211 ct crank 21 I pleoe a spline 693.

.The ball track 692 is a loose fit u on the shaft and is made slightly narrower t ran the interior of the hosting ring 64, and has a. groove for the reception of the spline 693, thereby enabling the ball track to slide lengthwise of the shaft. The groove in. this bell track corresponds with the balls running li-llLlI'Gllll and the desired freedom from binding is obtained by the movement of the bell track 'upon the shaft. The left hand bearings as described determine the position 01 the main shaft and the corresponding parts thereon as regards the movement longitudinally of the shaft, while the'right hand besrii'lgs allow .-..substa.ntiel variations in the distance between the right; and left side frames, while at the some time obviating any tendency of the 64 may be adjusted. longitudi-- I Imlls to ride upon or against a side of the gi'oovc. vl t is [.lmrcl'oro possible to adjust the left howl. side Jumperly zuul tllereu.l'l.er to euljiist lllc right hand side so that the balls oi tlietlicering will IJUU/l' evenly on lmtli'sidos of the gz roo'vcs in the bell cups ltllil. llltll tracks. Of course it is to be umh-irstoml that the grooves in the lwell trucks may be inter-- -.lm.ii; ed and that the one shown at 6921 may he used. 'l'or the loll, hziml healing instead of for the right; also tlntl. the Hot l.Ji. ttoim.-.(l 'oove' U055] might be ol some other cross t as 'l'mi' it; its sides are concornoil, so long; rth it hes the llet bottom rclel'reri, to, the essential lettliums ol? this port of my inventhm. being the prevention of longitudinal play on the port of the lllll-lll she-fl supported in two or more ball bearings by the use of a bell track 'l'w'l to the shaft and the groove of the some cross section as the balls running th rein in one o'l. the bearings \i-liilo the ol lHl' ring or bearings are provided will! l'l'lttllS allo'i-vil'ig lo!'Jg.i.tu lina.l play will! relation. to the main shaft.

The removable o ing 30 (see Fig; 3 is provided with anadjustingopcningolll ails uitable for the reception. of a. grease .l'ill means of wl'iieli the interstices oi the l i(. ring; may be filled with sort-1e semi-fluid lubricant. The ol'ienizig oi the casing is closed by $L screw plug 9 (see liig. i). This adjusting opening Gill. 1S 1.; linr'lriesl and tapped for the reception of the said plug- 602, but opens out Wider toward the interior as shown in Fig. 3. The bearing ring 64 is provided with a rec tenguler opening 6&1 shown clearly in Fig. l and correspomling in size and shape to the interior end of the EttljUStlllg opening 601, the said rectangular opening of the bearing ring registering with the adjusting opening when the. parts are in place. At the right hand side of the re tongzulsr opening 6.41 in the bearing ring ('5 is it locating no teh 642 whose use will he hereinafter further described. Upon the outside surface of the bell cup 6-5 at convenient intervals, preferably (nits close may pass through the bearing ring and. into the grooves in the ball cup 65. This slot is seen. 1n st. -l s.rlyin Fig. 3 and is there marked 26, Where it shown with the look ing plate 621 passing into it and completely filling it as is the case when the locking plate 62-] is in )loce. The li'mking plate 621 is held in piece y the bolt 62. The upper end of the localizing;

15 622 provided with notches 623.

7 plate penetrates a pair of the grooves or notches in the ball cup 65 and prevents them or the annular bearing ring 64 turning. .When the locking plate 621 is being put in lace'a pair of the grooves 643 one in each all cup must be opposite each other and at I a proper point in order that the locking plate 621 may slide freely into the grooves. V The lockin plate 621 is of peculiar form 10 shown most early in Fig. 5. The main ortion of said locking plate 621 is of a wldth equal to the thickness of the frame at that point. At the sides of the locking plate and extending outside of the frame are the ears An oval hole 625 rovided for the reception of the bolt 62. e locking plate 621 is held in place between the casings 1143 and 60 and passes through the slot 626 into the bottom 2c of the bearing ring 624. The upper edge of the oval hole 625 in the locking plate is at such a distance from the upper edge of the locking plate that when the bolt 62 is inserted in file-oval hole 625, the locking plate 621 is z 5 held firml in engagement with the notches 644 of thel iall cups 65 and 66..

j For.use in the adjustment of the bearings, I employ a pry tool showp in Fig. iand there designated 70. This pry tool 70 terminates 3O atone end in the slightly curved portion 73 nl la pted to be inserted through the adjusting o 621, in the removable casing into t e notches 6 13 in the ball cups and 66, and when so inserted is used topry the ball I 3-5 cup 65 or 66 oneway or theother to produce the, desired adjustment of the ball cups. At "the!" her'vend of the pry tool 70 is a pair of i'piimgshaving between them a central proectiion 71 which is so shaped that it may be i 4 inserted in the bolt hole for the .lower cap screw 62', and when so inserted will form a fulcrum. The two prongs 72 are formed to engage the notches 623 of the locking plate 621. V This tooland the arrangement of the locking plate 621 enable the'operator to insert or remove the locking plate with ease under all conditions.

The adjustment of onc oi the main bear- 'ings takes place in the following manner.

I 5 The lower bolt 62 at the bottom of the easings 1143 and 60 is removed. The central ortion 71 of the pry tool 7 O is then inserted in the bolt hole from which the bolt 62 has justbeen removed. When the central por- 55. tion 71 0f the pry tool is inserted in the said bolt hole, the two prongs 72 pass into and engage the notches 622) in the sides of the locking plate 621; thereby enabling the operator to pry the locking plate 621 down 0 ward and thus withdraw it from engagement with the notches 644 in the ball cops 65 and 1 66. In the same In anuer the pry tool 7 0 may be used to replace the locking plate 621 when the adj ustment has been completed. After 65 the removal of the locking plate 621 from the notch 644, the screw plug, 602 is removed, thereby giving access to the adjusting opening 661 in the removable casing 60 and to the rectangular opening 6&1 in the bearing ring 64. The small end 73 of the pry tool 70 is then inserted in the opening 64 and the notches 643. By prying against the sides of the adjusting opening 601 in the casing .60 the ball cups 65 and 66 may be moved toward or away from each other until the exact adjustment desired is obtained. When this is accomplished, one or the other or possibly both of the rings must be moved slightly'one way or the other until a pair of notches 643 are exactly opposite the locating notch 642 (see Fig. 1) in i he side of thebearing ring 64. This movement is so slight that it does not affect perccptibly the adjustment of the bearing. When the pair of notches are thus in line with the locating notch 642, it will be found-that another pair of notches, one of which appears in Fig. 3 and there numbored 644:, exactly degrees from the notches 623, are in posit-ion to receive the locking plate 621-. The locking plate 621 may now be inserted in the pair of notches 6 1 1 by means of the pry tool 70 in a similar manner to that in which it was removed. The lower bolt 62 is then replaced and the upper one 61 tightened, thereby restoring the bearing to its operative condition. hen the adjustment oi the bearing has been completed, allthe cavities and interstices of the main bearing are forcibly filled with ball. bearing grease or Vaseline to furnish a proper lubrication afterwhich the'block 602 is screwed .i'ir'mly into the adjusting opening 601'. When so closed, the bearing is dust proof.

As has been stated-before. I make the locking plate 621 of such a length and the hole for the reception of the lower bolt 62 in such. a place that the said bolt cannot be inserted until the locking plate is in its proper position with its upper end in the not ch 644-. Should the locking plate 621 not be in its proper position, the bolt 62 cannot be inserted, as it 1 will. strike against the locking plate. By this means it is possible to be perfectly certain that all the parts are in their proper position after the adjustment of the bearing and there can be no danger oi: the ball cups 65 and 66 working loose and doing damage to the bearing.

1* rom the foregoing description, it will be seen that the bearings embodying my invention may be readily taken apart and put together again when necessary for any purpose; that the parts are easily and delicately adjustable and that there is no possibility of the parts working loose.

I claim my invention 1. The improved ball bearings for a shaft consisting essentially of a plurality of bearings, one of which comprises a ball-traclr ball-cups and balls therefor, whereby length:

- peripheral surfaces and ing ring he inp," an opening thcreii'i pro wise movement of the said shaft is prevented, and another of which comprises hall-cups, and hasthelhalls and tracks therefor inovahle lengthwise of the shaft, thereby permitting; longitudinal adjiilstinent of the llearing's with relation to each other upon. the shaft, substantially as described.

The improved ball bearings for a shaft consisting essentially of a plurality of bear ings, one of which corn rises a hall-track, hall-cups, and balls there or, whereby lengthwiso movement of the said shaft is prevented, and another of which comprises a hall-track having a fiat bottomed grodvc therein, hallcups and balls therefor, wherel'iy a slight lengthwise movement of the shaft is allowed,

thereby permitting longitudinal adjustment of the hearin s with relation to each otl'ier upon the shalt, substantially described 3; The improved hall hearings for a shaft consisting essentially of a liearing comprising a ball-traclolast to said shalt and having therein a groove similar in cros section to the halls therefor, hall oups, halls to run in the grooves in the said traclc and on is. and another l'iearing consisting of a 'halhtraclr similarly fast to the main shaft and having therein a flat hottoined groove, hall-cups having grooves corresponding with the cross section of the halls, andhalls to run in the said track and cups, substantially as and .l'or the purposes desoril'ied.

4. In a hall. l'iearing tliie comhinaticiin of a halt-track, ball-cups threaded upon their peripheral surfaces and having notclrs or grooves cut transver; y across the said adapted for the reception of a tool to move the said hallo-ops with relation to each other, and a bearing ring correspondingly threaded on its inside surface for the receptiijinol' the said hull-cups and having an opening therein, whcrel'iy the notches in the said hall-cu is may he reached for ad'ustinent, snl'istantia lly as described,

5. n a hall hearing the combination of balls, a hall-tract, a pair of hall-cups thread ed upon their peripheral surfacc {and having notches or grooves cut transversi'ily across the said peri 'iheral si'irlaces for the reception of locking means; locking means comprising a plate engaging said witches and a bearing ring threaded on its inside surface for the reception ol the said hallscnps, snl'istantially as described.

6. In a hall bearingr the combination of halls, a ball traclr, a pair olhall-cnps threade ed upon their peripheral surfaces and having note res or grooves cut transversely across the said peripheral surfaces for the rcce tion mar of locking means, and for adjustment, a

access to the said IlOlZUl'ltlS :lor' adjust and locking means in engagement with an opposite pair of the said notches, -.vherehy the hall-cups are held ironi turning relatively reception of the said hall-cu )s, and having a l-7 5 slot for the admission oi loc ing means into engagement "with. an opposite pair of notches in the hall-cups, an d loo king means-in engagement with the said notches in the hall-cups whereby the hall-cups are held in position relatively to each other and the bearing ring, substantially as rlescrihed.

8. The lUlpIOVOfl hall l'icarings comprising, essentially, an exterior casing in two parts, ball-cups screwed into the said casing, and having notches at intervals in their tl'ireaded peripheral surface for the reception of looking means, locking means therel or projecting through a slot in the sad easing into engagement with. the notches in the said hall-cops, and holding means whereby ti 1 said locking means is held in engagement with the alore said notches, substantially descrihod.

9. The improved loclringdevice fol-notched liall-cups of hall hearings comprising, essen tially, a metal piecehaving a portion for en gagcnient with. the notches of the hallscnps, another portion for engagement with a pry tool in the insertion or removal of the said device, and having a hole therein For the reception of holding means, as a bolt, substantially as described.

10. The improved locking device for notched hallc'ups of hell hearings compris ing, essentially, a metal piece having a portion for engagement with the notches of the hall-cups, having projections for engagement with a pry tool in the insertion or removal of the said device, and having an oval hole therein for the rose )tion cl holding means, as a bolt, suhstantia v as described.

1.1. The llUpYOVtk locking device for notched hall-cups of hall hearings ooniprisinc, essentially, a metal piece having'a por tion for engagement with the said notches, and having a portion thereof for engagement with it pry tool in the removal Olillbfiltlllll] ol the aid piece, said locking piece having a hole therein for the reception of a holding vmeans so located that the bolt can be inserted 

